Tennessee basketball dropped its SEC opener at Arkansas on Saturday afternoon as the Razorbacks used a second half run to knock off the Vols’ 86-75 in Fayetteville.
Following the game, Arkansas head coach John Calipari discussed Darius Acuff big game, why he believes in Tennessee and much more. Here’s what Calipari said.
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Opening Statement
“You coach and you try to surround yourself with good people who were raised right, who are driven and wired, yet they have a humbleness to them too. Really hard. We had three guys that didn’t play much. Why did Billy (Richmond III) not play much? You could say foul trouble, but what else? Karter (Knox) played really good. Okay, started rebounding, blocking shot. I mean, why did DJ (Wagner) only play 13 minutes? Because Meleek (Thomas) and Darius (Acuff) played so well. Next game he may play 30. You had Nick (Pringle). Nick got a little foul trouble. But what happened? Malique Ewin played so well. You got to let them go and you’re the next game and you’re happy for your teammates. And it’s more about all of us doing something unique and special. And it takes really good guys.
“Meleek Thomas saved us in the first half. We should have been up more in the second half at the end. Darius and Karter’s three was big to kind of ice the thing/ But Darius just made plays, still had four turnovers. He and I got to look at it because, and I even had to call a timeout to keep him in the game and I left him out there for a minute with DJ and Meleek and we did all right. That’s why I left him out there for a while. And we needed him to finish that game.”
On Arkansas taking over in the second half with a 12-0 run, holding Tennessee scoreless for over five minutes
“We still were screwing around (with) pick and roll. We’d still got to get better. But what we did was, now you guys looked at the stats, what is their rebound margin? How many for all the games they played, what they played the 13 games, what’s their rebound margin? What is it plus what? Eight, 10? It’s 15. It is 15. Do you know how hard that is with the schedule they played, they played a ridiculous schedule like us. So for us to out rebound them by three, you ready for this? They’re No. 1 in the nation in offensive rebounding. We got one or two more than they did big. That was the whole game for us. We just said it. We shoot 30% from three. Start the game shooting three threes. What did I have to do? I had to call timeout. Are you crazy? What are we going to try to shoot 50 threes? So 30%, but the big ones at the end we made, which means you got, your team has a will to win.
“Let me say this, with Tennessee, they are really good. They ain’t losing many just so you know. And you know what I’m so happy about? We don’t have to play them again. And if we play them again, it’s going to be in the conference tournament. We’re done with them. Let other people deal with that. Physically inside, the way they rebound, their guard play. They’re really good.”
On Arkansas blocking 10 Tennessee shots
“Alright, so who had four you? Ewin. So you would say if he could do four in that game, why isn’t he getting more blocks? Because it’s really hard and you got to be alert and you got to be willing to leave your feet. Not just grab and foul. What he did today, like I subbed him because he wouldn’t get around to post. You’re out and if you, if I put you back in and you don’t get around to post, I’m not putting you back in. That’s when I’m saying my will is stronger than yours. You’re gonna do it or I’m not playing you. And all of a sudden he did it. He started playing aggressively. He’s now blocking shots. The first half he was reaching for rebounds. What’d he do in the second half? He went and got balls. He told on himself today. That’s what he did. So he can do it but he’s making a choice. The other doing it is really hard. I’d rather not do that because it’s really, really hard. Got to do it. Got to do it.”
On Arkansas winning an SEC opener for the first time in five years
“Yeah, when you’re winning games in this league, you’re happy. You’re winning a game. I said it last year, it doesn’t matter who you play, you wanna win. Last year, if you remember, we started 0-5 and they were saying we hired the wrong coach, what the heck are we doing? And we turned it around and got it going. So now we’re a little farther ahead than we were a year ago. But our guard play whoo now getting some big guys our wings, our athleticism, Billy Richmond. If Karter would play that way, forget about all the other crap, you don’t need it. Just go get balls. You’ll make baskets just playing. Don’t try to invent, no, but rebound and defend. He did it today. He’s another one he told on himself. But I’m happy for him, I’m happy for Meleek. As a coach you’re trying to get the best version of every guy you’re coaching as you try to win the game. And there are other times you have to say I’ll work with you later, but right now I got to win the game. This is the kind of group that, again, I don’t know what we scored off the bench, but we’re one of the best in the country at scoring off the bench.”
On the level Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff is playing at, how he compares to other players he has coached
“You know anybody that watches, it’s killing people that he’s this good, he and Meleek Thomas. We got two of the best freshmen in the country and people aren’t happy about it. And I’m hoping we’re signing another group that’s going to be similar to these guys. I’m doing this with freshmen, that’s what I’m doing. They may be able to tell me you’ll never do it, you’ll never get to a Final Four. We started five freshmen. I know that game is different and people are older with beards and children and stuff. I know that. But the freshmen, Darius Acuff is a beast. You can say he’s a good player. He is a beast. That’s who, when you look at his body, you’re like holy cow, this kid’s a beast. So he can score all kind of different ways. He’s good. I mean don’t tell me there are 15 freshmen better than he and Meleek. You can say it and then be mad about it. And that’s what I believe. No, it’s not your opinion, it’s your hope. But it’s not your opinion, it’s your hope. Those two are good.”
On Darius Acuff being able to close games as a freshman
“And then Karter made those free throws. We did some dumb things on the out of bounds, but we had guys make shots and layups. And it’s not just him, but to know you have one, what happens is, what do you think the other team’s thinking? We gotta get it out of his hands. And now the other guys become even better. And he’s smart enough to make that play. I mean we had 14 turnovers but we created 14 on them too. They’re a team that usually has 20-some assists because of how they play. They only had 13 today. In the first half, you you saw when we turned up the defense when we really got after them and they were struggling to get into offense and they walked — they didn’t call them but they walked like three different times — because of that pressure, that’s part of who this team needs to be.”
On the development of Arkansas players this season
“I might be sounding mean to you, but I’ve got a job to do with these kids and each of them are different. And I’m holding them to a high standard. Mainly because I think we got a pretty good team. Did I ever sound this way last year? No. ‘We’re going to be okay. You guys are really trying. We’re really close. You guys are okay.’ At 0-5. What? They’re so fragile now. I got a group and I told them Wednesday, we practiced, you were there, what did it look like? Track or practice? Track. Get on the line. Alright, let’s go. Oh really? Go back on the line. We went with that for an hour and then I’m teaching and I said, is someone talking? And I go to teach again. I hear what? Let’s go keep running again. I should be able to demand from that group the highest level because they’re capable of it. And now it’s hard though. It’s hard to sustain it. It’s hard to come every day. This stuff is hard. But you know what, I’m not letting them slip. I can tell you that right now.”
On tying Tennessee coach Rick Barnes at the top of the official wins list for active college basketball coaches
“I’ve had a few more (wins) than that. But that’s fine. I understand that. But no, he and I have been dear friends for, I think I was 17 or 18 and that would’ve made him like 21 or 22. We worked camp together. Matter of fact it was a day camp. You ready? And we had to stay in the training room on the tables. And the coach, which was Tim Grgurich, his wife, brought us a pan of lasagna that we could carve up and we put it on the water thing where it’s hot, where you take the pads out to keep it hot. We put it on that, he and I. And we stayed like two or three days in the training room together. And since that time when he was an assistant, I was later an assistant, we became friends. We’ve coached against each other. I told him today, how many times have we played against each other? Great friend. I love him. And I’m not saying that lightly. Like I love him. He’s like my brother. And I hate, we needed to win. So did they, I guess. This was a road game for them, this would’ve been a steal. But we needed to win. But you know, again, he’s really as good as it gets. He’s a Hall of Fame coach. Belongs in the Hall of Fame.”
